PHNOM PENH: The Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport (SAI) will contribute to tourism recovery, boosting the economic activities in Cambodia, and enhancing people's connection regionally and internationally.

H.E. Vongsey Vissoth, Permanent Deputy Prime Minister and Minister in Charge of the Office of the Council of Ministers said in a ceremony to welcome the first arrival of commercial flight to the SAI in Siem Reap province this morning.

The launch of the Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport's operation today is a new chapter for Cambodia to promote the post-COVID-19 tourism recovery in Siem Reap province, home to the famed Angkor temples, he stressed.

“It is an unprecedented achievement in history that we have such an international standard airport. It will help boost the economic sector, especially the tourism industry in the country,” he said. “It'd help connect the region. It is not between Cambodia and China but between countries in the region and the world.”

Construction of the Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport began in March 2020 with an investment capital of approximately US$1.1 billion by the Angkor International Airport Investment (Cambodia) Co., Ltd.

The new airport is located in Kriel Pong village, Por Pel commune, and Provall village, Tayek commune, Sotr Nikum district, Siem Reap province.

The airport is a 4E-level international airport with a 3,600-metre runway that can accommodate the landing of all kinds of aircraft such as Airbus 350 or Boeing 787.

This airport has 38 berths and is able to handle 7 million passengers a year, and the figure will rise to 12 million from 2040.

The airport can handle 10,000 tonnes of air cargo per year from 2023 and 26,000 tonnes a year from 2040, as well as 65,800 flights per year from 2023 and up to 112,700 flights annually from 2040.

Tourism Minister H.E Sok Soken welcomed the launch of SAI's official commercial operation, underlining that the airport is a new achievement contributing not only to facilitating air travel to Siem Reap province but also benefiting local economic activities through the arrival of more foreign tourists.

Tourism is one of the four pillars supporting Cambodia's economy. The country attracted up to 6.61 million international tourists in 2019, generating a gross revenue of US$4.92 billion, according to the Ministry of Tourism.

As planned, the official inauguration of the Siem Reap Angkor International Airport will be held on Nov. 16 under the presidency of Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet, Prime Minister of Cambodia, and Chinese leaders. AKP